Electric-lamp socket.



R. B. BENJAMIN.

ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET.

APPLIUATION FILED Amm, 1907.

UNITED v'sra'rns PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRICMANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

nLncTRrc-LAMP SOCKET.

To all wlw'm, it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN,

a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Inlprovementsin Electric-Lamp Sockets, of

which the following is a full, clear, concise,

and exact description, reference 'being had to the accompanying drawing,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric lamp sockets, andparticularly to that type of lamp socket in which there is provided aplug carrying one or more lampreceiving sockets and contacts associatedwith these sockets for engagement withthe terminals of lamps carriedthereby, this plug being itself provided with contacts which-v areadapted, when the plug inserted into a'n ordinary socket, to coperatewith the contacts of said socket and thereby to provide current for thelamp or lamps carried. by the device. In the use of such devices itisfound to be desirable that some meansI be provided whereby the devicemay be .turned about the axis of the plug to any desired position. Thisis especially true when the socket of the device extends at an anglewith the plug. It is well known that the incandescent electric Alampdoes not distribute its -light uniformly in all direct-ions, butprojects more light in a. direction perpendicular to its longitudinalaxis than in the direction of this axis.4 Hence to secure` the bestillumisocket adapted originally t'o hold but one lamp. j

The object of the present invention is the production of a device of theabove-outlined class lin which there is provideda plug adapted to beinserted into the ordinary lamp-receiving socketandto carry one Aor morelam s with their axes arranged at an angle witthe axis of the said plug,and in which means are provided whereby vthe lamp or lamps may beadjusted in a circle about t e plug to any desired position'Specification of Letters Patent. f

Application led April 1l, 1907. Serial No. 367,657.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

without losing the connection between the contacts of the plug and thecontacts of the socket inwhich the plug is inserted. In theaccomplishment of these objects l provide the plug with an outer Contactmember which is adapted to be screwed into the socket without turningthe device as a whole, whereby the main port-ion of the device and thelamp or lamps carried thereby may be held in the desired posit-ion whilethe rotating outer contact is screwed up into place.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention.as applied to alampholding device adapted to carry two lamps with their longitudinalaxes co-incidentwith each other, and disposed at a right angle with theaxis of the plug'.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevational side view ofthe device;

Fig 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing thearrangement 'of contactmembers and other parts of they device' whenthisdevice is made up so that the lamps carried thereby will be arranged inparallel; Fig. 3 is a v iew similar to Fig. 2, but showing the partsarranged 'so as to connect the lamps in series; and Fig. 4 is anelevational view of 'the series device shown in Fig.` 8, lookinginto-one.' of the sockets.

' In these drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate the saineor similar parts throughout, 5 is a base formed of porcelain orotherSuit-able insulating materiahthis basecarrying the lamp-receivingsockets 6 and 7 and suitable lamp-terminaleengaging contacts associatedtherewith. The sockets 6 and 7 are secured to the base 5 andelectrically connected with each other, by a pair of bolts 6a whichextend through the base from one of these sockets to the other.` A plug8, formed of porcelain or the like, is connected with the base 5 byl abolt 9, which passes centrally and longitudinally through these partsand secures them firmly together. The head l() of the bolt 9 serves as acenter contact for the plug'and engages, when this plug is inserted intoa socket, the center contact of such socket. Upon the lower end of thebase 5 isa plate l1 adapted to serve as a center contact ,for engagingthe center ter-A minals of one v'or more of the lamps, this,

'plate' being held in place by ind electrically connected' with the bolt9 by a nut 12 screwed on to the end of'this bolt. When the device isarranged for the connection ofthe lamps in parallel, as shown in Fig. 2,

' this plate 11 will be Ushaped in form and both of its ends will extendupwardly, one on each side of the base, so as to engage the centerterminals of both lamps, but when the device is arranged so as toconnect the lamps in series, as 1n the device illustrated in Figs.l 3and 4, the plate 11 will be L- shaped in form, and one only of its endswill engage a la1np-terminal- Sleeved on the plug 8 is a corrugated orthreaded metallic shell 13 adapted to constitute the outercontact-member of'the plug.

The plug 8 is formed with a shoulder 14: near its lower or inner end,andthe shell 13 has its inner end 15 lianged inwardly so as to lockunder the shoulder la on the plug v8 and thereby be held in place onsaid plug. The shell 1'3 is again flanged outwardly at 16 so as to holdin place a ring 17, of hard rubber or other suitable material, which.

"vice was inserted was not as ldeep as the length of the plug.

Arranged between the base- 5 and the plug 8, and immovably secured inplace, are a pair of metallic plates, one of which, designated 19, isdished and is in electrical contact with the inturned portion of theshell 13. This plate 19 is provided with a central circular openingthrough which extends a projection 20 on t e upper end of the base 5.The other of these plates is provided at one oit its ends with aring-shaped portion 21 extending at a right angle withvits main bodyportion, this ringportion surrounding the projection 2O on the base 5,and making electrical contact with the dished plate 19. 'Ihedownwardlyextending end 22, of this plate, in the case of the deviceillustrated in Fig. 2, in which the lamps are connected in parallel, issecured to the socket 7 by a screw 23 and thus makes electricalconnection be tween the socket and the rotating sleeve 13. In the seriesormof the device, shown in Fig. 3, this plate 22 engages directly withthe center terminal of the lamp inserted into the socket 7.

In both the parallel and series forms of the device the sockets 6 and 7are electrically connected with each other by the bolts 6l which securethe sockets in place. In 'the series form current is led in through thecenter .holt 9 to the plate 11, thence to the center terminal of thelamp in the socket 6 and through the filament of this lamp to the socket6,'thence through the bolts 6 to the socket 7, and to the .outerterminal of the lamp in this socket, thence through the 'filament ofthis lamp and the center terminal thereof to the plate 22, thence to thedished plate 19 and the outer contact-shell-13.

In the parallel form of the device current is led in through the bolt 9to the plate 11 and there divides, a portion of the current passing tothe center terminal of the lamp in the socketl 6 and a portion thereofpassing to the center terminal of the lamp in the socket 7. These.branch currents How lthrough the filaments of the lamps to the outerterminals of these lamps and the sockets 6 and 7. As the sockets '6 and7 are electrically connected with each other through the bolts 6a,current from both of these sockets will pass through the plate 20, whichis connected with one of these sockets, to the dished plate 19, thenceto the contact shell 13.

An outer casing or housing for the sockets is provided, this housingconsisting of two engaging shells 24 and 25, these shells preferablytelescoping one within the other and being secured together by anypreferable means. As shown in the drawings,.I provide a bayonetconnection 26 for interlocking these shells 2l and 25, but any othersuitable and convenient means'lnay be employed for etl'ecting -thisresult. Lining sleeve-rings 27 and 28 are provided for iusulating theshells 6 and 7 from-the outer casing.

When the plug of this device is inserted into an ordinary socketthe.outer contact shell 13 is rotated on the plug 8 by means of theprojecting collar 17, the device being thus screwed up into place in thesocket and the center terminal 1() engaging the center contact of thesocket. The lamp-base holding-portion of the device may be turned sothat the lamp or lamps carried thereby will extend in any desireddirection in a plane at 'right angles with the longitudinal axis of theplug and the socket-into which this plug is inserted. Having thusdescribed my invention what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent ist y 1. In a lamp-holding device, the combination -of a base, aplug having a center contact adapted to cooperate with the center.contact of a suitable receptacle,I an outer contact-member rotatable onsaid plug and adapted to coperate with the outer contact of said recetacle, a pair of lates clamped between said) base and' said ug, saidouter contact member having a flange extending under one of said plates,a lamp-receiving socket carried by said base and havinglampterminal-engaging members associated therewith, electricalconnection between one of said lamp-termlnal-engaging members and thecenter contact of the plug and electrical connection between the otherof said lampsaid plates.

2. In a lamp-holding device, the combina-A tion of a base, a plug, twoplates clamped between said base and plug, a threaded shell arranged torotate around said plug and aving a portion extending under one ofplates, the base havinga groovel exten'din longitudinally thereof andIthe other of sai plates having a tongue lying in said groove andarranged to conduct current to one of the terminals of a lamp, means forsupporting the lamp, and means for conducting current to the otherterminal of l said lamp.

3. In a la1np-holding device, the combination of abase and plug madeseparable from each other, a pair of plates arranged between said baseand plug, means for securing said base and plug together and clampingsald4 --Llates therebetweenfa rotatable threaded shell on said plughaving a part extending under one of said plates, a lamp-holding devicecarried by said base, and a tongue ou the other oflcsid plates arrangedto conduct current to one of the terminals of a. lamp.

Ll. In a lamp-holding device, the combination with a base, of a. plughaving a center ct'iitact, a lamp-receiving socket carried by said baseand disposed with its axis at an angle with'the axis of said plug,a'rotatable outer contact-member ou said plug, said member having al1inturned flange, afplate noli-rotatably 'arranged on said plug andengaging the flange of said rotatable outer contactenieml'ier, a contactplate clamped between said base and said tirst-named plate.

and contacts associated with said socket and one with the centeryelectrically connected contact of the plug, last-named plate.

5. In a lamp-holding device, the combination of a base and plugseparable from each other, a bolt extcndinglongitud inally through andthe other with said said base and plug, two plates clamped between saidbase and plug, a rotatable outer contact on said plug arranged to havesliding contact with one of said plates, lampreceivlng shells vupon oposite sides of said base, means extending t irough said base for isecuring said shells inlposition and electrically connecting themtogether, a center contact for one of said lamp-receiving shellselectrically connected with said bolt, and means for making electricalconnection between the other plate and one of said lampreceiving shells.

6. The combination of a base and plug made separable from each other, aplate clamped between said'base and plug, a rotatable outer contact onsaid plug arranged to have sliding engagement with said plate,lamp-receiving shells on opposite sides ot said base, means extendingthrough `said base for securing said shells in place and electricallyconnecting them together, means for electrically connecting said platewith one of the terminals of the lamp, and a tubular casing shell. madein two parts arranged to be passed on over the lampreceiving shells andtelescoping with each other.

7. yIn a lamp-holding device, a base and plug separable from each other,a rotatable outer contact on said plug, aplate clamped between said baseand plug and arranged to be lnaintained in electrical connection withsaid rotatable contact, a base having a tlattened side, a lamp-receivingshell secured to said flattened side with its 'axis al an angle with theaxis of the plug` means tor elet-.trically connecting said plate withone ot' the terminals of the lamp, and a tubular casing shell arrangedto telescope with said lampreceiving Shell.,

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the ln'esenccot two witnesses.

REUBE ll. BICNJABHN. lVitnesses M. L. FARRAR, C. L. HOPKINS.

